『Quinquagesima | Luke 18:31-43 | Memento Mori - Remember your Death』のカバーアート

Quinquagesima | Luke 18:31-43 | Memento Mori - Remember your Death

Quinquagesima | Luke 18:31-43 | Memento Mori - Remember your Death

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概要

 Quinquagesima February 15, 2026 Luke 18:31-43 Many of you have sat in the doctor’s office as the death notice was handed out, as the words were spoken to your husband or wife, a father or mother. “There’s nothing more we can do.” The cancer has advanced past the point of reversal. The body is too weak to undergo treatments. The accident caused extensive damage to the body and its vital organs. These instances are often met with a lack of understanding. How did the shadow of death appear so quickly? Why can’t the doctor do anything more? Isn’t this their job? To heal and restore people to health? In these moments, you are like the disciples of Christ as He prepares them for His passion and death. It’s truly remarkable how Jesus explains everything to His disciples as He says, “For [the Son of Man] will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they did not understand His words; they did not understand that death was approaching for their Lord and Savior. That His death was necessary to give them life. The Gospel said, “They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” Or “They did not know the things that were spoken [to them].” To grasp or to know are synonyms for the action of Christian faith. In other words, the disciples lacked faith in Jesus’ words. Like the disciples, when the storm clouds of death approach, you also tend to lack understanding; you lack faith. Why does this happen to you, O Christian? Because in the clouds and storms of life, you do not always hear rightly, you don’t hear the words of Jesus, you don’t remember your Savior. The disciples did not fully understand Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel, and because of this, when His passion did arrive, they also failed to remember His words. They lacked faith and scattered from His cross. We’ll come back to this thought in a moment… But for you, in the midst of turmoil, you must “remember” the words of your Savior, “They will kill him, and the third day he will rise.” If you listen closely, these are words of death and resurrection. Again, “They will kill him, and the third day he will rise.” Seldom do you remember these words in tribulation any more than you place them before your eyes each day of this life. Some men in the congregation are participating in a program this Lent called “Memento.” The Latin word “Memento” means “remember.” The purpose of this program is to remember how fleeting this life is, that without Christ we are powerless, to reflect on our Savior’s suffering on the cross, and to honor the faithful men who came before us—fathers, grandfathers, saints, and martyrs—those who struggled and endured in faith, stood firm in the face of death, and remembered their Savior’s death. Because when one remembers the death of Christ, they must also remember His resurrection. But because we do not remember the death of Christ, we cannot properly understand His resurrection. In reality, we don’t think much about death unless it’s on our doorstep. This is very different from the ancient world and the early church, where not only was death all around them through plague, disease, and war, but they also used language and symbols to remind themselves of where this life would lead. If you look back at art throughout history, you might come across paintings of skulls with the words “Memento Mori,” meaning “remember you must die” or “remember your death.” Comforting, huh? It was also common for monks, pastors, or priests to have human skulls or bones on their desks or near where they prayed, to remind them of their mortality. But more than that, this practice served as a reminder of mortality, humbling one by showing that all earthly life moves toward the grave. It fosters a sense of turning away from earthly pleasures, of concentrating on eternal life with God, of living in repentance, and of cultivating a virtuous life. Additionally, it symbolizes that death is not the end, but the gateway to resurrection and eternal life. Now, no one is suggesting you should run home and place a skull on your desk or table. However, how can you remember the death and resurrection of Jesus? How can you keep these words of your Savior from the Gospel before you today? Sure, you could buy one of the paintings I mentioned earlier, like a skull with the words “Memento Mori” inscribed. Or you could hang a portrait of the Lord’s crucifixion in your home. Or even simpler, you could hang a cross or crucifix near a door to remind yourself, as you venture into daily life and return at night, that not only is death always close by, but through the death of your Savior, you receive life....
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